Book-type-writer table.



No. 695,725. Patented Mar. l8, I902.

F. W. HILLARD.

800K TYPE WRITER TABLE.

(Application filed Aug. 31, 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 695,725. Patented Mar. 18,1902. F. w. HILLARD.

BOOK TYPE WRITER TABLE.

(Application filed Aug.- 81, 1901.)

4 SheetsS heet 2.

(No Model.)

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No. 695,725. Patented Mar. l8, I902. F. W. HlLLA-RD.

BOOK TYPE WRITER TABLE.

(Application filed. Aug. 81, 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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No. 695.725. Patented Mar. I8, I902. F. W. HILLARD.

BOOK TYPE WRITER TABLE.

(Application filed Aug. 31, 1901.)

4 Shouts-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

IINTTnn STATns ATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIO WV. IIILLARD, OF TOTTENVILLE, NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELLIOTT d: HATCH BOOK TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BOOK-TYPE-WRITER TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,725, dated March 18, 1902. Application filed August 31,1901. Serial No. 74,014. (No model.)

To all 1071,0772, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERIC W. HILLARD, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Tottenville, in the county of Richmond, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Type-WVriter Tables, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to typewriter tables of the class adapted for book type-writers, so that the book maybe spread open thereon and any page written upon.

Among the general objects of the invention the advantage of being able to write at lower I5 levels than usually is an important one, as the operator does not have to raise the arms so high as to tire them; also the automatic adjustment of the book-rest to various writing levels or inclinations when the book is in po sition under the platen; also, to provide for the mounting of the platen on fixed points of support.

Other objects are convenience and the possibility of quick adjustment.

The invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described in detail and then specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a type-writer table embodying the invention, showing a book thereon ready to receive the writing mechanism. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, the writing instrumenta'lities being shown in writ- 5 ing position and the machine proper being shown in dotted lines; and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the table. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the position as snmed by the rest and the platen when a large 0 number of sheets are inserted between the two parts. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, but showing the position assumed when a fewer number of sheets are between the rest and platen; and Fig. 6 is a similar view show- 5 ing the position of the parts when only a single sheet is to be written on and the platen bears directly on the rest.

Referring to the drawings,Aindicates the main frame of the table; B, the writing-machine proper; B, the base-frame of the machine, also forming a sheet or book -leaf clamping member, and C the platen. These parts as such are well known.

In the present invention the writing mechanism and the platen are pivotally mounted on brackets D, fixed rigidly to the rear of the top of the table and provided with the proper pivots d, which are maintained at a constant height above the top of the table. Aleaf E, or rather a book-rest, is hinged by hinges e at its front edge to the front bar a of the top of the table-frame A, so that the hinge or pivot points of the base-frame B or the platen O and the book-rest E are relatively fixed, so to speakthat is to say, their distance from the top of the table remains constant. Of course this does not preclude an equivalent arrangement in which the pivot-points might not be immovable relatively to each other.

The book-rest E is subjected to spring or equivalent upward pressing action, as by a weight. In this invention an elbow-lever F is pivoted to each end of the table at f and has a short arm connected with one end of a tension-spring F, fixed at its other end to the table,.and also a long arm f, which is preferably slightly curved and on its outwardlycurved upper edge bears upon the under side of the end of the book-rest. As the pivotal points of the book-rest and elbow-levers are not coincident, the long arms of the elbowlevers slide slightly on the said book-rest whenever the levers are moved. The springs F maintain the contact of the long arms f of the levers with the book-rest and have a tendency to raise the latter or swing it on its hinges. The springs cannot, however, raise the book-rest so far as to prevent the platen from resting flush thereon in the highest writing position of the book-rest. Downwardly- 9o projecting slotted keepers or straps g are fixed to the outer under sides of the book-rest and receive thumb-screws g, which are mountedon the ends of the table and are adapted to fix the keepers g at difierent heights, and hence adjust and set the book-rest at various degrees of inclination or even exactly level, if desired.

Mounted upon the book-rest are suitable platen-abutments adapted to cause and perrnit by the yielding book-rest E the parallel ism of the platen with the book-rest, so that when a book to be written in is placed thereon the platen will be flat upon the leaves of the book, and the leaf to be written upon can be placed upon theplaten in such position that one edge of the platen will be close to the bound edge of the leaf. To this end parallel rock-shafts H H are journaled transversely of the book-rest in bearing-brackets E, at tached to the under surface of the book-rest, the shafts being provided at their front ends with crank-arms hand at their rear ends with bell-crank levers h, the lower arms of which are connected by a link 7L2. Inverted -U- shaped platen-abutments I I are pivoted at their ends to the outer ends of the crank-arms 7t and bell-crank levers h, respectively, so that a parallel motion is imparted to the said abutments, the upper edge or horizontal rails of which are parallel. The ends of the platenabutments I I are respectively guided in guides 71, fixed to the front edge of the bookrest E, and through a guide-slot 2 formed in the rear portion of the book-rest. The location of the platen-abutments is directly in front of the platen-supports 01, so that when the platen is lowered it may directly abut against them in the manner hereinafter stated. By imparting a slight turn to the shafts H H the platen-abutments may be raised or lowered relatively to the upper surface of the book-rest, so as to adjust the abutments to the thickness of the book. This may be accomplished by taking hold of the front abutment I and raising or lowering it, the rear abutment I being in consequence correspondingly operated by means of its special connection with the first abutment, and to set the platen-abutments in position the shaft II is preferably provided with a ratchetwheel J at its front end, between the teeth of which a locking-pawl J takes, said pawl having an operating-handle j.

Before using theimproved book-typewriter table a book of desired thickness is placed on the book-rest and opened at any page. The locking device for the platen-abutments is then released and the frontabutmentadjusted, the other following, until it is approximately the height of the page to be written on. If not already, the locking devices 9 g are now loosened and the platen swung down until it bears on the rear or book-rest-depressing platen abutment. Force being brought to bear upon the rear abutment, as by the platen, which acts thereon as a lever of the second class and exerts considerable leverage, the book-rest will be caused to lower until the free end of the platen rests upon the front platen-abutment, which therefore forms a support for the platen. The platen will now be in writing position, parallel with the book rest. In depressing the book rest against the lifting action of the springs F and the elbow-levers F the springs evidently yield to the downward pressure. If the book be of crease in proportion to an increase in the thickness of the book, while the height of the platen-abutments, or at least the front abutment above the top surface of the book-rest, will increase. tion of the rest and platen inversely with the thickness of the book is illustrated in Figs. 4:, 5, and 6. In Fig. 4.- a large number of sheets are inserted between the platen and book-rest, taxing the device to its full capacity, and the book-rest is held horizontal on its pivot by the weight of the book and machine and platen, the platen resting above the pile of sheets and being also horizontal. In Fig. 5 fewer sheets are interposed between the rest and platen, and the former has therefore an inclination upwardly and rearwardly from its forward pivot, while the platen has an inclination forwardly and downwardly from its rear pivot and parallel to that of the rest, the inclination of the two parts being such that the distance between them is now equal to the thickness of the interposed sheets. In Fig. 6 the parts are shown in the position they assume when a single sheet is to be written on. Here, as no sheets are interposed be tween the platen and rest, the two parts assume their greater inclination and close up until in contact. It will be noted that the platen and rest when in use are thus corre spondingly varied in their inclination, al though maintained in parallelism with each other, and that as the base-frame of the writing-machine when in use is laid down upon the sheet placed upon the platen the rest is also in parallelism with the said frame. This hinging of a supporting part-4'. 6., the 1'est and a supported part-71. e., the platen or base frame of the writing mechanismor both, at separate points, whereby the supporting and supported parts turn upon and around their pivotal points through an arc of a circle to assume different inclinations to cause them to approach or recede from each other while maintaining their parallelism, I believe to be broadly new. After the book-rest has been caused to automatically self-adjust itself it is ordinarily fastened in position by tightening up the thumb-screws g at both ends of the table. The parts being thus set, the leaf to be written upon is spread over the platen and the base-frame B, with the writ ing mechanism thereon lowered into writing position. The line-spacing and the letter and word spacing may now properly occur upon the exposed page.

The essence of my invention lies in the com This variation of the inclina bination of a platen or support for the writing mechanism mounted on a horizontal axis with an underlying book-support also mounted on a horizontal axis in such manner that the two will maintain their parallelism and confine between them books or bodies of paper of greater or less thickness.

It will be understood that the peculiar form and arrangement of the lifting devices of the book-support are of secondary impor tance and also that the abutments I and I and the clamping device, although convenient, may each be omitted without rendering the structure inoperative.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is w 1. In a book type-writer, the combination of a writing mechanism supported from a horizontal axis, and an underlying book-support also supported from and'turning around a horizontal axis remote from the first-named and parallel therewith, whereby the writing mechanism and the book-support are adapted to maintain their parallelism when confining books of varying thicknesses between them.

2. In a type-writer for writing on flat sheets,

a writing mechanism supported as a Whole from a horizontal axis whereby it may assume difierent inclinations, an underlying book-support hinged or pivoted, that it may adjustitself to the varying inclination of the overlying mechanism, and means for raising the book-support to confine a book of greater or less thickness between it and the overlying writing mechanism. 3. In a book-type-writer table, the combination,with a self-adjustingbook-rest, mounted so as to slant at different angles, of a platen hinged independently of the book-rest, substantially as described.

I. In a book-type-writer table, the combination, with the hinged platen, of a swinging book-rest, and means for swinging the book rest around its pivotal pointinto parallelism with the platen, substantially as described.

5. In a book-type-writer table/the combination, with the platen pivoted at a fixed point, of a book-rest pivoted at a fixed point relatively to the platen to slant at different angles, substantially as described.

6. In a book-type-writer table the combination of a book-rest and a platen located above the book-rest, the platen and book-rest being independently hinged at their opposite ends, substantially as described.

7. In a book-typewriter table the combination of a book-rest, and a platen located above the book-rest, the platen and book-rest being independently hinged at their opposite ends to swing upon points located in different vertical planes, substantially as described.

8. In a book-type-writer table, the combination, with the swinging platen, of a swinging book-rest mounted on a relatively lower support than the platen and pivoted to slant at different angles, substantially as described.

9. In a book type-writer, a fiat gravitating platen mounted on'a horizontal axis at one end, in combination with an underlying booksupport mounted on a horizontal axis remote from thatof the platen, and a lifting device acting under the free end of the book-support, whereby the platen and the book-support are permitted to retain their parallelism and adapted to confine books of different thicknesses between them, substantially as described.

10. In a type-writing machine, a hinged gravitating platen, the underlying booksupport hinged at its end opposite the hinging point of the platen, and lifting-springs connecting with the free end of the book-sn pport, substantially as described.

11. In combination with the gravitating platen hinged at one end,the underlying booksupport hinged at its end opposite the hinged end of the platen, the lifting-arm mounted on fixed pivots and acting under the free end of the book-support, and a spring acting on said arm, substantially as described.

12. In a type writing machine, the flat platen hinged to swing upward and downward, the underlying book-support hinged at its end opposite the hinging-point of the platen, and a clamping device to fix the book-support at different inclinations, substantially as described.

13. In a book-type-writer table, the combination, with the platen, of a spring-actuated hinged book-rest pivoted to slant at different angles, substantially as described.

14. In a book-type-writer table, the combination, with a-movable book-rest, of a platen pivoted independently of the book-rest, and platen -supporting means mounted on the book-rest and adjustable relatively thereto, substantially as described.

15. In a book-type-writer table the combination with a hinged book-rest and a platen hinged independently of the book-rest, of two platen-abutments upon the book-rest, located adjacent to the pivotal point of the book-rest and platen respectively, substantially as described.

16. In a book-type-writer table the combination with a hinged book-rest and a platen hinged independently of the book-rest, of two adjustable platen-abutments upon the bookrest, located adjacent to the pivotal point of the book-rest and platen respectively, substantially as described.

17 In a book-type-writer. table, the combi-* nation, with the movable platen, of a spring actuated book-rest, and adjustable platenabutments on the book-rest, substantially as described.

18. In a book-type-writer table, the combination, with the movable platen, of a yielding book-rest, and platen-abutments thereon,

upon which the platen is adapted to be rested IIO nation, with the movable platen, of a yielding book-rest,platen-abutrnents thereon,upon which the platen is adapted to abut and automatically change the position of the bookrest, and means for fastening the book-rest in position, substantially as described.

20. In a book-type-writer table, the combination, with the table-frame, of a hinged book-rest, provided with a keeper, means, on the table-frame, for engaging and setting the same, and platen-abutments on the book-rest, substantially as described.

21. In a book-type-writer table, the combination of a movable book-restanovable platenabutments extending above the upper surface thereof, and means below and carried by the book-rest for adjusting the platen-ab utments, substantially asdescribed.

22. In a book-type-writer table, the combination of a movable book-rest, movable U- shaped platen-abutments, and means for adjusting the platen-abutments, substantially as described.

23. In abook-type-writer table, the combination of a yielding book-rest provided with an upper abutment, and a lever pivoted so as to exert a pressure on said abutment to antomatically lower the book-rest, substantially as described.

24.. In a book-type-writertable, the combination of a yielding book-rest, and a platen pivoted beyond the rear of the same, said book-resthavingabook-rest-depressing abutment for receiving the downward thrust of the platen, substantially as described.

25. In a book-type-writer table, the combination of a hinged book-rest provided with an upper abutment near its free edge, and a lever pivoted so as to exert a downward thrust on the said abutment, substantially as described.

26. In a book-type-writer table, the combination of a book-rest hinged at its front edge, and a platen, said book-rest having a platensupporting abutment near its hinged edge, substantially as described.

Signed at New York this 21st day of August, 1901.

FREDERIO W. HILLARD. Witnesses:

GEO. L. WVHEELooK, BERNARD J. MOOLEARY. 

